'Negative law that perpetuates discrimination in country'

'Secular Yeshiva' network director calls on State to stop discrimination: 'Torah not exclusive inheritance of haredim.'

Benny Toker, 10/07/18 01:16

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BINA secular yeshiva network director Eran Baruch wonders in conversation with Arutz Sheva about the need to pass the Draft Law, which he believes only perpetuates a series of problems.

"It's a negative law that perpetuates the dichotomy that whoever studies Torah in the Jewish people must be a haredi male and all the rest serve in the army and don't study Torah," he said. "We established a secular yeshiva that isn't yet recognized by the State - with us men and women study Torah - and also serve in the army. I'm in favor of combining military service with Torah study, but this law allows thousands to study Torah without serving. All the talk about a gradual process is a lie. Everyone knows they don't enlist," Baruch says.

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He also claims the Draft Law harms the haredim themselves. "Their situation is very problematic because most of them don't study Torah by choice, but because they have no choice, and everyone knows that out of 10 people, maybe three are suitable to continue studying Torah. Even in my yeshiva, young people learn Gemara with enjoyment and gusto, but after a year or two some of them aren't suited to continue."

Baruch is sorry the secular parties don't help his yeshiva. "For more than a decade, I've been conducting the struggle to recognize us, and unfortunately, in the Labor party the majority isn't interested, Yesh Atid made U-turns to pander to the haredim and Meretz is anti-religious with no connection to the concept of studying Torah."

The BINA Secular Yeshiva Network has been sponsored by the New Israel Fund.